Method and device for producing herb cheese

ABSTRACT

A method for producing herb cheese, in particular for producing hard cheese, which is enriched with herbs, spices or the like, with the herbs introduced by machine. For this purpose, raw cheese mass having about 80% milk removed is filled into cheese molds, which are preferably arranged in a vat of a cartridge press, and subsequently pressed. At the same time, respectively, herbs, spices or the like are introduced uniformly into the cheese molds parallel to the raw cheese mass.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The disclosure relates to a method and device for producing herb cheese,in particular for producing hard cheese, which is enriched with herbs,spices or the like.

BACKGROUND

A device for the industrial production of cheese wheels is known, forexample, from EP-A-350777. This comprises a cheese press having arectangular vat that is open at the top for receiving molds, a columnframe for arranging a press head that can be raised and lowered and adistribution head for feeding and metering the raw cheese mass into themolds, and a portal cart that can be moved on the vat for guiding thedistribution head and for handling a turning mechanism for the molds.The distribution head here must be manually provided respectivelychanged. EP-A-406899 shows a further development of such a device, inwhich the molds are accommodated in cartridges, which in turn arearranged compactly and in rows in the vat. A press head having extrusiondies aligned with the molds for pressing the raw cheese mass is abovethe molds. The cartridges have a gap-minimizing edge design and amechanized device is provided for pushing the cartridges.

The raw cheese mass passes through a feed tube, the ends of which areconnected to the kettle of a cheese maker or to the distribution head,into the distribution head and from there into the round or square moldswhich are arranged in the vat of the cartridge press. After the moldshave been filled, milk is removed from the raw cheese mass by pressingand the raw cheese can then be removed from the mold.

SUMMARY

The disclosure relates therefore to a method for producing herb cheeseand in particular for producing hard cheese, which enables herbs, spicesor the like to be introduced mechanically into the raw cheese mass.

Raw cheese mass in cheese molds, which are preferably arranged in a vatof a cartridge press, has whey removed beforehand, is poured out and issubsequently pressed, wherein, at the same time, respectively, herbs,spices or the like are also, in particular, uniformly introduced intothe cheese molds parallel to the raw cheese mass.

Preferred embodiments are also disclosed.

The cheese molds are filled by means of a distribution head, whichexecutes a uniform back and forth movement along the vat, so that theherbs and/or spices are also introduced uniformly and possibly “inlayers” into the raw cheese mass.

The herbs and/or spices are advantageously mixed with water, stirreduniformly and heated and, after reaching a preset temperature,introduced uniformly into the cheese molds as an herb-water mixture viaa filling head.

The herbs and/or spices can be better conveyed to and into the cheesemolds by mixing in water and are uniformly distributed in the raw cheesemass.

The volume flow of the spice media will be configured by machine controlover all dosing points, depending on the recipe, in a preferred manner,in which individual configuration per dosing point is possible as well.

The disclosed method enables herbs, spices or the like to be introducedmechanically into hard cheese, wherein herbs are well and uniformlydistributed in the cheese wheel at the same time, which produces auniform taste of the cheese. The removal of whey, resp. separation ofwhey from cheese curd to a large extend, according to the disclosurebefore the herbs and/or spices are fed, resp. also preventscontamination of the whey with herbs and/or spices. This improves andbroadens use of the whey afterwards.

The disclosure further relates to a device for producing herb cheese,comprising cheese molds for filling with raw cheese mass, which cheesemolds are arranged in an open vat, in particular in a cartridge press,with which are associated a press head having a plurality of extrusiondies aligned with the cheese molds for pressing the raw cheese mass anda distribution head for flushing in the raw cheese mass, thedistribution head being arranged to be movable back and forth along thelong sides of the vat, and a filling head for herbs and/or spices mixedwith water is associated with the distribution head.

Preferred embodiments are also disclosed.

The distribution head is advantageously coupled to a rotatablearticulated tube arrangement for feeding the raw cheese mass from acheese maker.

The filling head is advantageous provided with metering devices/dosingpoints or pinch valves, the number of which is matched to the rows ofcheese molds which can be arranged in the vat transversely to thedirection of movement of the distribution head.

Furthermore, the filling head preferably can be coupled or is coupled toa multi-purpose heater for feeding a water/herb mixture. Themulti-purpose heater is at least provided with an agitator, a heatingdevice and a pump for conveying the heated water-herb mixture into thefilling head.

The filling head is advantageously connected to the multi-purpose heaterby means of a flexible hose and possibly further pipelines.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the present disclosure, and theattendant advantages and features thereof, will be more readilyunderstood by reference to the following detailed description whenconsidered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1: a cartridge press with the device according to the disclosure.

FIG. 2: the device according to the disclosure according to FIG. 1.

FIG. 3: the device according to FIG. 1 in detail.

FIG. 4: the device according to FIG. 1 in a second embodiment.

FIG. 5: the device according to FIGS. 1 and 4 in the second embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A cartridge press 1 (FIG. 1) comprises at least in the examplepresented:

-   -   a vat 2 of the cartridge press 1, which vat is rectangular in        plan view and open at the top, having cartridges 15 which are        rectangular in plan view and open at the top, which are arranged        next to one another in rows transverse to the longitudinal        direction of the vat 2;    -   cheese molds 13 which can be arranged in the cartridges for        receiving raw cheese mass to be pressed, wherein cheese mold 13        is elongated and rectangular in the example and each consisting        of an inner perforated casing and an outer wrapper having at        least one outlet for the liquid to be pressed out, and wherein a        cartridge preferably comprises six to eighteen molds;    -   edge sheets, which are arranged at a height of a few        centimeters, preferably welded, on the upper edges, the edge        sheets forming the outer sides of the cartridge block in the vat        2 in the longitudinal and transverse directions, in order to        enable the raw cheese mass to be flushed in above the upper edge        of the cartridge;    -   a press head 3 arranged on end columns 5 having a plurality of        extrusion dies 4 aligned with the cheese molds 13 for pressing        the raw cheese mass, the press head, for example, being        configured in accordance with the disclosure of EP-B-543899, and        possibly hold-down device for squeezing the press head 3 of the        cartridges;    -   a filling apparatus for flushing in the raw cheese mass, the        filling apparatus being arranged on a movable portal cart 7,        which can be operated by motor along the long sides of the vat        2;    -   a device for introducing herbs or spices into the raw cheese        mass;    -   a handling device for lifting, moving and depositing a cartridge        on a conveyor device (not shown) outside the vat 2;    -   a device for rotating/turning (not shown) the cartridges or a        row of cartridges about their longitudinal axis;    -   a vertically movable blow-out device (not shown) having blow-out        nozzles, wherein each mold of a cartridge is associated with        least one blow-out nozzle so as to empty the cheese wheels onto        the conveyor device.

The filling apparatus of the portal cart 7 comprises a distribution head6 having a dry filler 27 having a number of metering heads 11 which ismatched to the number of the cheese molds 13 which can be arranged in arow in the vat 2 (in the longitudinal direction of the vat 2). Thedistribution head 6 further comprises a distribution tube 9 and a feedtube 8 for feeding and distributing the raw cheese mass to the meteringheads 11.

The dry filler 27 comprises an obliquely arranged slotted sieve 28through which the whey is drained beforehand.

The portal cart runs on guides 14 on the long side of the vat 2 (FIG. 2)by means of rollers.

The feed tube 8 of the distribution head 6 is connected, by means of anarticulated connection, to a double joint made of two tubulararticulated pieces arranged at an angle to one another and pivotallyconnected to one another. An articulated connection to a tube 10 is madeby means of a further articulated connection, the tube beingapproximately perpendicular to the plane of the vat 2 and being attachedto a hitch 16.

It has a connection (not shown) to a cheese maker. The hitch 16 isfastened to a hall ceiling or a high-lying portal.

The portal cart 7 with the distribution head 6 is moved along thelongitudinal axis of the vat 2 between the end columns 5 during afilling of the molds. The articulated tube arrangement reproduces thismovement without dead centers or misalignments.

The tube 10 is approximately vertical and is constantly filled as aresult of the double joint and the articulated connection of the hitch.The raw cheese mass and in particular the curd are uniformly distributedon the molds. There are no angular deviations of the articulated tubearrangement that inhibit product flow.

A channel 26 is arranged on both inner long sides of the vat 2, intowhich channel whey drained from the dry filler 27 flows and which isdischarged for further use by means of a drain pipe 24 on the unloadingside of the cartridge press 1.

The filling head 12 for herbs and spices is constructed analogously tothe distribution head 6 for the curd (raw cheese mass). Only the nominaldiameters of feed tube 18, distribution tube and metering devices 25 aresmaller. In the exemplary embodiment, according to FIGS. 2, 3, thefilling head 12 is fastened to the distribution head 6 by means of quickfastening means (not described in more detail) and is accordingly easilyremovable again. Connected to a multi-purpose heater 19 by means of aflexible hose 17 and a tube 22 which is sufficiently long for themovement. The multi-purpose heater 19 can be closed with a hinged lid 20and has an agitator 21. A pump 23 is further associated therewith.

A mixture of herbs and water or whey is heated in the multi-purposeheater 19 and pumped through tube 22, hose 17 and distribution tube 18into the metering device 25 of the filling head 12.

The herbs and/or spices can be conveyed better and are mixedhomogeneously by dissolving the herbs and/or spices in water or whey.

The heating of the herbs provided in the multi-purpose heater 19 is usedto sterilize them.

The cleaning of the herb preparation, including tube 22, hose 17,distribution tube 18, metering device 25 (or pinch valves 30 accordingto FIGS. 4 and 5) and filling head 12, can be carried out in a CIPcycle.

A metering head 11 and a metering device/dosing points 25 (or pinchvalves 30) are provided for each cheese mold row (in the longitudinaldirection of the vat 2) for a uniform distribution of curd (raw cheesemass) and herbs.

Multi-purpose heater 19 and filling head 12 can easily be provided forproducing herb cheese, so that the cartridge press 1 is flexible and canalso be operated without these elements. Manual operation is possible,but normally automatic operation.

In the second embodiment according to FIGS. 4 and 5 pinch valves 30 aredepicted in lieu of metering device 25. The water demand of pinch valves30 for feeding of spices and/or herbs is lower and hence less water hasto be pressed out from cheese curd.

The raw cheese mass (curd) is usually provided in a cheese maker (notshown) for the production of herb cheese in the form of hard cheese. Inparallel, the multi-purpose heater 19 is filled with a desired amount ofwater or whey and the desired herbs and/or spices are added. The heaterand agitator 21 are switched on after closing the lid 20. If a presettemperature is reached, it is maintained.

If the raw cheese mass is stirred ready, it is pumped from the cheesemaker via the articulated tube 10 to the distribution head 6 and theportal cart 7 starts to move back and forth in the longitudinaldirection of the vat 2. The raw cheese mass is uniformly applied to theslotted sieve 28 via the metering heads 11 of the distribution head 6and slides further into the cheese molds 13. The whey runs through theslotted sieve into the interior of the dry filler beforehand and isconducted laterally into the channel 26 and discharged. The pump 23starts in parallel, so that the water-herb mixture is introduceduniformly (“in layers”) via the metering devices 25 into the raw cheesemass, that has had milk removed, directly into the cheese molds 13.

Since approx. 80% of the whey is already removed before the herbs areintroduced, the whey is not contaminated and can supplied for a furtheruse. The further feeding of raw cheese mass and herb-water mixture isstopped as soon as the cheese molds 13 are filled with raw cheese massas intended. In the normal case, cheese maker and multi-purpose heater19 are filled so that they are emptied when the cheese molds 13 arecompletely filled.

Whey is then, preferred, completely removed from the raw cheese mass bypressing, agitator 21 and pump 23 are switched off here.

After the cartridges with the cheese molds 13 have been discharged, thecartridge press and herb preparation are cleaned in the usual way bymeans of hot water in a CIP cycle.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   1 cartridge press-   2 vat-   3 press head-   4 extrusion die-   5 end pillar-   6 distribution head-   7 portal cart-   8 feed tube-   9 distribution tube-   10 articulated tube-   11 metering head-   12 filling head-   13 cheese mold-   14 guides-   15 cartridge-   16 hitch-   17 hose-   18 distribution tube-   19 multi-purpose heater-   20 lid-   21 agitator-   22 tube-   23 pump-   24 drain pipe-   25 metering device-   26 channel-   27 dry filler-   28 slotted sieve-   30 pinch valve

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for producing herb cheese, in particularhard cheese, the method comprising: filling raw cheese mass which hasabout 80% whey removed into cheese molds, which are preferably arrangedin a vat of a cartridge press, and subsequently pressed, wherein at thesame time as the filling step, respectively, herbs, spices or the likeare introduced uniformly into the cheese molds parallel to the rawcheese mass.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the whey isremoved in a dry filler and the whey is discharged uncontaminated for afurther use.
 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cheesemolds are arranged in a vat of a cartridge press and are filled by adistribution head which executes a uniform back and forth movement alongthe vat.
 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the herbs and/orspices are mixed with water, stirred, and heated and, after reaching apreset temperature, introduced uniformly as a herb-water mixture intothe cheese molds via a filling head.
 5. A device for producing herbcheese, in particular hard cheese, comprising cheese molds for fillingwith raw cheese mass, the cheese molds arranged in an open vat, withwhich are associated a press head having a plurality of extrusion diesaligned with the cheese molds for pressing the raw cheese mass and adistribution head for flushing in the raw cheese mass, the distributionhead being arranged to be movable back and forth along long sides of thevat, wherein a filling head for herbs and/or spices mixed with water isassociated with the distribution head.
 6. The device according to claim5, wherein the distribution head is provided with a dry filler and iscoupled to a rotatable articulated tube arrangement for feeding the rawcheese mass from a cheese maker.
 7. The device according to claim 5,wherein the filling head is provided with metering devices, the numberof which is matched to the rows of cheese molds which are arrangeabletransversely to a direction of travel of the distribution head in thevat.
 8. The device according to claim 5, wherein the filling head iscoupled to a multi-purpose heater.
 9. The device according to claim 8,wherein the multi-purpose heater is provided with an agitator, a heatingdevice and a pump.
 10. The device according to claim 8, wherein thefilling head is connected to the multi-purpose heater by a hose.
 11. Thedevice according to claim 5, wherein the filling head is equipped withmetering device/dosing points or pinch valves, in which the number ofmetering device/dosing points or pinch valves correlates with the numberof cheese molds in a row.